Ghosts
by GHOSTSherri
Summary: Hojo reports something escaped from his lab. Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth are required to help the Turks bring the experiment back. What they find is surprising and a whirlwind is stirred up for everyone involved. Summary sucks but story is good. Based before Crisis Core, slight AU, possible OOC-ness. Will contain yaoi. See indise for warnings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first Final Fantasy fanfic and I just fell in love with this idea. It may be slightly AU and OOC since I havent played the games in a while. I just know that it takes place before Crisis Core. Any discrepancies in regards to the game are not my fault and will be fixed if they are pointed out. I am using a friend of mine for info on the game and sometimes I suspect he makes things up. Also, I have no Beta, so all mistakes are mine. Anyone interested? **

**Rating: M for violence, sex (straight and otherwise), rape (implied), language and life in general.**

**Reviews feed the fire in my soul and make me want to write for my readers. Constructive critisicms, insults, whatever you think of. It's all welcome. Why? Because they all take time, and it makes me happy-regardless of the review-to know that my story stuck in your mind enough for you to review.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned these characters or this game...things would have been very, very different. And I would be much richer. Sadly, I don't. I do own Sherri and Hojo's other made up experiments mentioned in here though. They are mine!**

It was a party of some kind, something to honor Rufus Shinra. Reno, Rude, Tseng and Cissnei were all guarding him, spread out across the large room, Tseng the only one actually by Rufus. Sephiroth was supposed to be there somewhere, as well as Angeal and Genesis. Reno sat by Rude at the bar, praying Genesis didn't get ahold of the microphone again. That had happened last time, now all the Turks could recite the first 3 lines of Loveless.

Abruptly, Tseng said over the radio, "Hojo just called. Go see what he needs." Reno sighed and stood up, leaving with Rude.

They got to Hojo, who informed them the Target had went upstairs and was not to be killed.

"Fuck. Rufus is up there. Is it dangerous?" Reno asked.

Hojo thought for a moment and then said, "This one...may not be so bad."

Reno raised an eyebrow at Hojo and followed Rude back into the hall. Something growled and charged, punching Rude, kicking Reno in the jaw, stealing Reno's EMR and climbing into the air duct.

"Fuck." Was all Reno said. "We're gonna need back up." Reno told Tseng over the radio. He quickly explained what happened.

"The Generals are on patrol, I will alert them." Tseng informed Reno. "Is it dangerous?"

"Well...it has my EMR." Reno scratched his head.

"Damn it, Reno." Tseng sighed.

**Three floors above Reno...**  
Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth were walking along a hallway. Tseng called Sephiroth and told him what happened just as a figure dropped from a vent a few feet in front of them.  
"Subdue, don't harm her, Hojo says." Tseng told them. The girl, barefoot and wearing a short white dress that clung to her form, pressed herself against the wall, watching the men and growling slightly. The three generals exchanged a look that could only be explained as meaning "WTF?"

Genesis and Angeal stepped forward as Sephiroth said, "Subdue only."

"That shouldn't be hard." Genesis smirked and stepped forward gracefully, one hand extended. She crouched down, still hugging her back against the wall. Genesis smiled charmingly at her and Angeal raised an eyebrow. Not because it was a ridiculous tactic, but because it was working. The girl was no longer growling. Just as Genesis took her hand, the girl pulled him forward, bit his hand, slammed the EMR into his stomach and retreated back to the vent in seconds.

For some reason, Angeal had the urge to shout, "OWNED!" at his redhaired companion. Gaia, he was spending too much time with Zack. He kneeled next to Genesis and asked instead, "Are you alright?"

"She bit me!" Genesis gasped, craddling his hand.

"And she has an EMR. Interesting. Reno's, I suppose." Sephiroth examined the vent. He listened for movement but couldn't hear anything.

Genesis stood up, still tingling from the electric shock.

"Tseng, she's in the ventilation system. And she bit Genesis." Sephiroth said.

After a moment, Tseng replied, "She will come back down on your floor. Watch out for her. Again, I only want her subdued. Do not hurt her."

The three generals nodded and split up, Sephiroth returning the way they had come, Genesis going left and Angeal going right.

Angeal pushed open a door and hear a voice saying, "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest."

Angeal sighed and shut the door."I'm looking this way, Genesis, go the other way." Angeal called.

"I found her, she's trapped in a room, but I want you to go get her. I don't want to get bit again." Genesis replied.

"I thought you liked biting?" Angeal said with a laugh. He got no response and frowned.

"Genesis?" Angeal called, coming around the corner. He still didn't see his friend. "Gen..?" Angeal went down another hall and said, "I swear, Gen, if you are masturbating with that damn book again-" Angeal froze, mid-sentence. That had be a giggle. That giggle most definitely did not belong to the fiery haired general.

Angeal stiffened and looked around, backing up against a wall.

Angeal listened for more noise, but heard nothing for a few seconds. And then he heard a metallic screech as part of the vent above him was lifted away and a slim hand tangled itself in his shirt, lifting him towards the vent. Angeal struggled and pulled away, looking up towards the ceiling. He slammed against the other wall, eyes up, breathing steady.

From down the hall, he heard, "Angeal? Are you alright?" It was Genesis.

"Gen, be careful, she's in the vent." Angeal warned, still looking up. There was a crash near where Genesis' voice had originated and Angeal raced forward to investigate. A vent was on the ground but Genesis was nowhere to be seen.

"Genesis, where the hell did you go?" Angeal demanded, now borderline flustered. The girl had to have moved, but she hadn't made a sound.

And Genesis decided now that he wanted to play hide and seek. Angeal sighed and turned back down the long hallway, making his way back to where they had separated and froze. Genesis was coming towards him, nowhere near where Angeal had heard him.

"What the hell, Geni?" Angeal demanded, walking towards the red general.

"Don't call me Geni!" Genesis snapped.

"Then don't mess with me like that!" Angeal retorted, crossing his arms.

"I didn't do anything! I've been wandering around-"

"You said you found her! Then you leave and she tried to drag me into a vent!" Angeal shouted.

Then he stopped. Genesis seemed genuinely confused.

"Angeal...I didn't say anything. I haven't even quoted Loveless. I didn't want her to hear me..." Genesis told his friend. Angeal could tell instantly that he was being truthful. But that had been Genesis' voice...

Suddenly, above Genesis a vent moved and a slim hand grabbed him by the coat, pulling him upwards.

"What the hell?" Genesis gasped and squirmed to get away. Angeal grabbed Genesis' arm with one hand and wrapped his free arm around Genesis' waist. At that point, his weight was the only thing preventing the girl from dragging Genesis into the vent.

"Infinite in mystery-" Genesis laughed for no apparent reason as the girl growled.

"I swear to Gaia, if you finish that sentence I will let you go!" Angeal warned Genesis.

With their combined weight, the girl could not pull them up, so she growled in frustration and let go, throwing both of them into the wall and dropping down herself. She stayed in a crouch for a moment and lunged at the dazed men. Genesis stood first, stepping between Angeal and the girl.

The girl stopped suddenly. Turning, she froze.

"Don't tell me she has been beating you." Sephiroth said smoothly. The girl dropped into a crouch again and snarled.

"Wait until she tries to vent rape you, then it won't be so funny." Genesis grumbled, helping Angeal stand.

The girl's eyes fluttered back and forth between the three generals. Sephiroth watched her closely. Not that she wasn't moving, they could see her pure white hair was about as long as Genesis'. She looked terrified now, and kept looking back to the vents. Something about her looked very familiar.

Then, abruptly, she ran for the elevator. She pushed open the doors and jumped, Angeal's hand clenching around a single strand of blonde hair as the girl fell three floors to the ground floor.

The elevator was at least 50 floors above them. Genesis looked up at the elevator, down at the girls figure as she ran, and then said, "Well, wasn't that dramatic?"

The three jumped down after her and looked around. They saw her rushing down a huge hall, towards where the party was. Reno and Rude burst from a side door and the girl squeaked and pulled herself up into the vents, dropping the EMR. Reno picked it up and looked up, flailing and swatting Rude in the jaw. The girl reached down, this time actually pulling Rude an impressive amount upwards before Reno shocked her. The girl cried out and tumbled from the vents and Reno withdrew a needle, given to him by Hojo. By that point, the generals had reached them and the girl was struggling to her feet.

The girl saw the needle and gasped, "No, please, Goddess, no! Don't make me go back!" She dropped to her knees and crawled past Angeal before Genesis could grab her around the waist and pulled her to her feet. Sephiroth stood in front of the girl, examining her features.

"She looks familiar, doesn't she?" Sephiroth asked the two Firsts. Angeal and Genesis glanced at each other, then at Sephiroth and then at the girl. Sephiroth reached a hand up to wipe hair from her face and the girl's whole body jerked and she pulled away from Sephiroth. Genesis realized the movement had been a very violent flinch. And the he felt teeth dig into his hand, this time hard enough to draw blood and cried out, slapping the back of her head. The girl fell forward, landing on her hands and knees and then stood and took up a fighting stance as Reno approached her with the needle. Angeal lunged forward and the girl gracefully side stepped him, slamming her elbow into Angeal's ribs before turning on Rude. She dodged a punch from him, slid under Reno's flailing EMR and stood behind him, delivering a vicious kick to the head that caused Reno to stumble into Rude, dropping the needle and shattering it with his foot.

"I won't go back!" She screamed and ran into the party.

"I blame Reno for that." Genesis was cradling his bloody hand.

"You let her go." Sephiroth said pushing open the doors."Split up and find her. A girl in a white dress should be easy to locate."

Reno and Rude went to tell Tseng as Sephiroth and the other two generals split up. They acted casual, assuming the general population didn't need to know about her existence.

Angeal saw Zack and one of Zack's friends, Erik, standing to the side. Erik glanced around an excused himself quickly. Angeal noticed he was headed towards the girl in white, presses against the wall by a plant, invisible if you weren't looking for her. Erik hugged her and gave her the satchel at his side and then returned to Zack. The whole time, Angeal kept his distance. Now the girl was moving again, racing towards the main entrance.

Angeal followed her out the door, grateful to be out of the public eye. He was actually getting tired of chasing her and just wanted to be done with it. Genesis and Sephiroth saw him leave and followed him out. The three men closed the door and looked around.

"More vents and no sign of her." Genesis observed.

"Erik Vulfe is helping her." Angeal told them.

"Hmm. That's interesting. Looks like you have a very devout follower. Every fan club in town will want her." Sephiroth boredly gestured down the hall. The girl now looked identical to Genesis. Sephiroth had noticed her just as her hair changed from white to red.

"What in the hell...?" Angeal stepped back, confused. Genesis stepped forward, absolutely enthralled with the girl.

"Infinite in mystery-" the girl began softly.

Genesis quickly picked up the poem and they quoted it back and forth.

"Oh Gaia, now there's two..." Angeal resisted the urge to face palm.

Suddenly, Sephiroth said, "Tackle her. Now."

Angeal nodded and lunged, tackling the girl into the ground. Her head slammed into the ground and Angeal saw her eyes shift back to her normal steel grey color. Then they quickly returned to Genesis'. Angeal tilted his head in interest just as the door slammed open. The girl let out a soft scream as Tseng, Reno, Rude and even Rufus marched towards her, Tseng gripping another needle. The girl struggled and tried to kick, but Angeal had her arms and legs pinned and in strength, she was thoroughly outmatched by Angeal. So she did the only thing she seemed to be good at.

Angeal gasped as her teeth dug into his forearm and pulled his arm away, almost choking her with the other hand as he held her under the jaw, pushing her head back. She screamed again, louder this time, and Angeal took a risk and covered her mouth as Tseng knelt down next to her.

The girl screamed again, in Genesis' voice and Tseng paused, startled. Even Angeal was slowed by that. And then he understood what had happened earlier. It hadn't been Genesis, it had been her!

With these thoughts, Angeal gasped as she somehow pushed him off. And then proceeded to lift Angeal into the air and throw him into Genesis, sending them both tumbling behind Sephiroth. Tseng dropped the needle as she swung a punch, but she was shaking so Tseng easily deflected and picked up the needle, catching her in a chokehold and slamming the needle into her arm. The girl screamed and slowly faded back into her normal body, crying softly as Tseng held her up, her muscles locking up.

Angeal faltered. All three generals had seen enough people break to know that that was exactly what had just happened. She had broken, shattered like glass.

"Angeal..." she whispered pitifully."Please don't let him-"

And then the door opened and Hojo himself entered the hall, three guards by his side. The girl looked at the generals and the Turks standing near Rufus, fear etched into her eyes.

"You have been bad." Hojo whispered, "Very bad, Sherri, punishments will not be pleasant."

The girl screamed again and somehow managed to pull away from Tseng, legs locking up so she fell to the ground. She decided to crawl away, and Tseng paused mid-step. Rufus was holding up a hand, telling Tseng to leave her alone for the moment.

Hojo gestured to Angeal. "Grab her. I don't feel like running her down." The scientist told the First coldly. Sherri was still pulling herself away, tears in her eyes. She had to know it was over, but still she struggled.

Angeal nodded and slowly walked towards her. Angeal's footsteps echoed through the silent hall as he approached her, the only other noise being her sobs. Still, still she struggled to get away.

Angeal reluctantly kneeled next to her and the girl cried out again, pushing against his chest weakly, trying desperately to get away. Angeal picked her up and Hojo walked towards the First, prepping another, much larger needle. Genesis touched Sephiroth's arm gently and then turned his back on Hojo. Sherri screamed and clung to Angeal desperately, tears streaming down her face.

"Hold her, Angeal." Hojo ordered. Angeal did so hesitantly, not liking how this girl was acting with Hojo. Sherri screamed and buried her head into Angeal's shirt, screaming as the four inch needle was injected into her hip and thrashing to get away, even after the needle was in her.

The girl went limp in Angeal's grasp and he held her close to him. She was still conscious, silent tears slipping down her cheeks. Hojo reached for the girl, telling the guard nearest him to take her.

Just then, Zack and Erik burst into the room. Erik, too late, looked utterly dismayed. The expression quickly faded and he said, "I heard shouts, Sir, is everything okay?" Yes, be the perfect little SOLDIER, Erik thought snidely to himself.  
Reluctantly, Angeal handed Sherri to the guard. As he pulled away, Sherri's fingers brushed her hand, the girl still trying to cling to the First.

Angeal was tempted to grab the girl and run, but he resisted, repeating to himself that he didn't know the full story. As Hojo walked past Rufus, the vice president growled, "I expect her to be capable of walking this time, or I may tell my father." The words were almost silent, but all three generals heard it. Damn, they heard it. And then Hojo left with the girl and it was done.

Tseng narrowed his eyes at Rufus and ordered everyone to leave, to go back to whatever they had been doing. Three hours later, Tseng, sitting by Rufus' desk, said, "You know who that was?"

Rufus simply nodded and said no more. Tseng sighed and left. He wanted answers.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Chapter 2 Part of this is dedicated to my somewhat anonymous review from "Sorry I couldn't log in" haha**

**WARNINGS: There be light yaoi beyond this point. Also possible language. Pairings: Angeal/Genesis, Sephiroth/Vincent (for my 'anon' reviewer haha) **

**This just feels like it's wrong, I'm not satisfied with how it turned out. Please tell me what you guys think? I'm being vague 'cause I don't want to give everything away right off the bat.**

Tseng wanted answers, and that's what he had gotten. Sherrihad seemed familiar, and now he understood why. He had discovered files about her that had been discarded, dug up only because "Rufus' orders" are never denied. She had been killed about a year and a half ago…or that's what her record said. The mission had been wiped clean from the records, but once again the position of Rufus' guard was useful. It had been a mission lead by Sephiroth, apparently a complete failure. He read through her file several times and finally, tucking the file away for later, stood and left his office. Rufus could tell him more.

XxX

Angeal was tensed, laying on his side, blue sheets pushed down around his ankles. Genesis creeped into the room and crawled up the bed to wrap his arms around his love.

"What's wrong? Still thinking about her?" Genesis purred, kissing between the black-haired man's taut shoulder blades.

"I don't understand…anything of what happened last night. She was…you, Gen. She sounded like you, looked like you…quotes LOVELESS almost as well as you…Rufus knew her…Hojo terrified her, Gen. She was desperate to get away, but she HAD to have known it was over. And Erik…Zack says he's been acting strangely all today. I just…don't understand." Angeal sighed and rolled over to face Genesis, who chastely kissed his lips, silencing the bigger SOLDIER.

"It's not our concern. You know she's just one of Hojo's experiments. Even if she is…unique." Genesis frowned. His boyfriend was very upset about what had happened.

"What about what Rufus said? Something isn't right, Gen…" Angeal shook his head and ran his hand through Genesis' crimson locks. Genesis leaned into the touch and then kissed Angeal again.

"I'll tell you what, if you're still upset about it in the morning….I will find out more about her. I'll talk to Sephiroth about it." Genesis promised, sitting up on one arm. He straddled the larger SOLDIER and leaned forward to kiss him again, this time not so innocently.

"That's the problem, Gen. I KNOW who she is…and you do, too. And…Sephiroth definitely knows."

XxX

Sephiroth was even more distraught then Vincent had first thought. Reno had told him about the events of the night before, and Vincent had noticed that later that night, Sephiroth had simply sat on the edge of the bed, looking ahead. Now, at 7 o'clock in the evening, Sephiroth had not been seen all day. Vincent went to Seph's apartment and knocked. When there was no reply, Vincent pushed open the door.

"Seph?" Vincent called softly, stepping into the dark room.

"In here." Sephiroth's voice was coming from the bedroom, and Vincent idly wondered if he had moved at all. Vincent made his way through the spotless apartment to where Sephiroth lay on his bed, silver hair spread across the sheets like argent water. Sephiroth sat up when the Turk entered.

"Seph, tell me what's wrong." Vincent begged, crawling onto the bed next to the general.

Sephiroth sighed and then nodded. Vincent wrapped his arms around the general's shoulders, kissing his neck softly.

"You recall the mission about a year and a half ago…where that young woman died?" Sephiroth asked softly, his voice wavering.

"Yes. Why?" Vincent narrowed his eyes. Sephiroth had been greatly upset by the girl's death, and the silver-haired man had never told Vincent exactly what had happened.

"It was her, Vin…I know it seems crazy…but I know it was her. It seems…impossible, that Hojo could have gotten a hold of her body, and I don't know how much of her remains…but I know I have to help her somehow, Vin. If not for my actions…she would be a First right now, I don't doubt that. She shouldn't be…whatever Hojo has turned her into. I let her down once, Vincent, I have to help her." He remembered all too well what had happened. She had been killed in an ambush. She was a promising young SOLDIER, but Sephiroth personally thought she would be better as a Turk. He had been there when she died, unable to help her. He couldn't save her then, he damn sure would help her now, even if it was by running Masamune through her chest.

Vincent nodded, pressing his cheek against Sephiroth's. "Then we will help her." The Turk kissed the General and stood. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Seph…" The general's gaze had fallen to the floor. The Turk gently grabbed his jaw and forced the silver haired man to look him in the eye. "We will help her." Vincent stood up and went to leave, stopping at the doorway. "Tseng was also concerned about the girl, he has done some research and we have discussed things. But we need to…collaborate. Hojo won't give her up easily so we will need you, Genesis and Angeal to help us. Don't worry, Seph, we will figure this out. We'll help her. Reno has a plan." With that, Vincent left.

Oh dear Gaia, that was never good.


	3. Chapter 3

**OMG I feel soooooo bad, I haven't updated since July! Well...I guess that's not too long...I'm sorry! **

**Onwards with what I hope will be more plot...**

**XxX**

In truth, Reno never had a plan, and tonight was no different. He HA, however, gotten direct orders from Rufus to bust this kid out of jail, so to speak. However, Hojo's lab was a place no one wanted to go unless it was necessary. Thankfully, Hojo made getting to the girl relatively easy. He took her out of the lab, for a walk of sorts. The whole left side of her face had a massive bruise that appeared to be a boot print and she now wore a black outfit, a simple looking pair of black pants, boots, and a long sleeve shirt. The material looked slick, and touching it was like touching leather.

"Reno," Rude said the second he saw the girl, and Reno turned to see what he was talking about.

"Yep, that's her. What's he doin', yo? Walkin' her?" Reno walked with Rude towards the scientist, who rarely ventured to this area of the building and followed them to a hall in a part that no one really visited. Reno raised an eyebrow at Rude and then followed them at a further distance, having less people to blend in with. Not like Reno and Rude could really blend in with a crowd, but they did try.

"What the hell...?" Reno wondered in confusion. Suddenly, someone grabbed the fiery-haired Turk around the waist and pulled him backwards, into a different hallway and out of sight just as Hojo turned around.

"Stop squeaking!" Tseng ordered and Reno fell silent. Rude had dropped back and slipped into a different hallway directly across from them. "We have to get her when she is in the lab. We'll go back there and wait for Hojo to come back. He is just taking her out a secret exit to give her some fresh air. Come on. Rufus wants her away from him as soon as possible."

Reno nodded and the two Turks followed Tseng downstairs.

XxX

"What can you tell me about her?" Sephiroth asked. Erik Vulfe was sitting in his office, staring at the three commanders in petulant silence.

"I can tell you that you failed to protect her." Erik snapped and Sephiroth actually looked wounded for the briefest of seconds. Angeal cleared his throat and stepped in.

"Erik, if you want to help your friend, we need to know about her mental state. If she has gone insane, we can't risk her getting lose agin. Tell us what you can about her. From the beginning. How did you guys meet? If an altercation arises, as it nearly did the other day, we need to be prepared." Angeal explained, his voice the poster child of professional.

"Alright. We met...fuck. We were 12, or 11. Known each other a long ass time. She was shy, quiet. Respectful. I remember one day she came to me and said she wanted to be a SOLDIER. She idolized you three, fucking wanted nothing more then to be able to meet you guys. Was always talking about you, so excited when we got accepted into the program. Never was good enough for her parents, but she seemed to impress everyone else. She really isn't all that special to a lot of people. Smart, hard working. Great with figuring weaknesses. Excellent with close quarters, like close enough to lick you kind of close quarters. She uses smaller blades, so you want to keep her at a distance, but she can also throw them. She does ricochets well. And you saw her with the vents. That's really...all you need to know. That's all I know about her anymore." Erik sounded very upset about the loss of his friend.

"You two were close?" Sephiroth asked.

"I thought so. Turns out, she has depression. And hardcore depression too. Suicide attempts were common. It's not that she wants to die, she just..doesn't want to live anymore.." Erik looked down at his hands, remembering how lost and alone she had said she felt. "I always thought she was going to pull out of it, every time she had an episode she would tell me she was done, that she would start living again. But...she never did."

"Suicidal people are hardest to deal with in a battle," Genesis said, crossing his arms.

"No regard for their life, they'd do anything to hurt someone they wanted to hurt." Angeal nodded in agreement.

"I love her. You gotta kill her. Whatever she is...she isn't the person she used to be. I don't know what she is anymore..." Erik whispered and looked up, teary eyed.

The three commanders stared at him in shock.

**Blah. I'm sooo sorry guys! I feel like this sucks, but there's some info on Sherri at least. What do you guys think?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sooooo sorry! At least this time it was only like...a month and a half...I think.**

**So, depending on who you are, this next tad bit might be a bit gruesome. Okay. It is, I'll be honest.**

**XxX**

To say that this kid was severely messed up in the head would have won Understatement of the Month. Reno thought so anyway. He and Rude, at Tseng's request, had spent the last hour in Hojo's lab watching the girl to see if she was abused. In this time, she had snapped someone's neck, ripped out someone's heart with her bare hand and then licked the blood off her fingers, and clawed someone's stomach opened with her nails and then proceeded to pull their intestines out. At one point, she had ripped someone's arm off entirely and tossed it to one of her...teammates?

In addition to her, there were also 7 other experiments that fought against unlucky criminals who were to be executed anyway. Hojo claimed that it tested the strength of these subjects. It was just pointless slaughter, and Sherri seemed to be second in command of it. There was a tall man with red hair that seemed to be the leader, as Sherri and the others frequently looked to him for permission to kill. With a nod or a shake of his head, a life would be either spared or killed.

"Shit...I can't believe that's really the kid who was stammering and blushing when she met us..." Reno whistled and Rude just grunted in acknowledgement.

Sherri let out a vicious yell as two of the inmates descended upon the redhead. She lunged and grabbed on by the jaw, another experiment rushing forward to grab the other inmate. Sherri lifted her target off the ground, gripping his jaw where it connected with her right hand. She reached forward and pried his mouth open with her left, sliding four of her fingers into the man's mouth. He whimpered and struggled, his muscles visibly quivering with the effort as he bit down. Sherri seemed unfazed as she pushed her thumb against the soft underside of his jaw. And then broke skin.

The man screamed as Sherri shoved her thumb upwards more until the digit pushed through skin and muscle and brushed the underside of the man's tongue.

"Holy..." Reno murmured as he watched blood drip down her arm and bubble from his mouth. Sherri tilted her head slightly as the man started screaming. She pulled him closer and licked the blood from her wrist. Then she pushed him away, holding the man at arm's length.

A smile split her lips that made even Reno's blood run cold.

Sherri's arm tensed and she pulled, gently at first, but still the man screamed and thrashed. She seemed only irritated as he squirmed in her grasp, panic ripping apart the man's features. She pulled harder. And harder. Until slowly the jaw detached from the skull in a red mess. Sherri tugged and jerked the jawbone free as the man shrieked. Or at least gave a grisly rendition of a scream. Blood coated the girl's hand as blood poured from the torn skin.

"Sherri!" A voice called sharply.

The girl tilted her head towards Hojo, not actually turning to face him.

"What are you doing?" The scientist demanded.

"I'm playing."

It wasn't what Reno had seen that had gave him chills and made the Turk want to run, he had seen stuff like that before. Never bare-handed, but still. It wasn't what the girl said. Her tone had been childish and creepy, but nothing major. It could have been a scare tactic or betrayed a delayed mental development. No, that wasn't it.

What made Reno want to run from this girl...

Was the fucking _giggle._

XxX

"Boss, I dunno what the fuck they did to her, but she ain't right! She ripped this guy's jaw off and then she said she was playing, and then she fucking giggled! She giggled! Who does that? This was a fucking 'I'm did something so funny and I might get in trouble but I don't care!' kind of giggle!" Reno snapped. He sat across from Tseng, EMR resting on a slender lap. Rude stood by the door in silence.

"I know the girl isn't..normal-"

"She makes us look like saints!"

"She's not normal, but she does have potential to be a good asset to the company. As a Turk. You saw that for yourself this morning. Did you record it?"

"Yea, right here." Reno tossed a disk onto the table, where it slid to Tseng.

"Excellent. Now listen. SOLDIER, more specifically Sephiroth, as shown an interest in her-"

"Because she was a SOLDIER before?" Reno asked, leaning forward and guessing what Tseng wanted.

"Exactly. Needless to say, Rufus wants her on our side and Veld agrees. Unfortunately, Lazard has expressed an interest as well, and Sephiroth is pushing to have the girl moved over from Hojo's care to SOLDIER's."

"I say we let them have her." Reno snorted and stretched.

"Rufus will not stand for that. There is more going on then we know, and it is detrimental that we have her with us. Sephiroth is only expressing an interest in her because she was killed while under Sephiroth's command. The girl, as you saw briefly, excels at sneak attack warfare and is more suited to being a Turk then a SOLDIER. Despite this, SOLDIER is insisting she is their property and I've been told that Commander Hewley has gone to get her now, so I need you to go and intervene. Rufus is adamant that she is drafted into the Turks, and what Rufus wants-"

"Rufus gets, yea yea. So, who's gonna train her? I sure ain't." Reno said, standing and walking towards the door.

"Once we get her away from Hojo, you'll find she is excellent company." Tseng said from behind his desk, fingers clasped on the wood surface.

"Hm. I doubt that." Reno smirked and then left, followed closely by Rude.

"You're interested," Rude said smoothly and Reno tilted his head toward his partner.

"Hell yea, partner. She's just the kind of crazy I could get along with." Reno smirked and set off towards the labs.

XxX

Sephiroth had decided to accompany Angeal, and now they both stood watching Sherri. She was curled up on the lap of the redhead man, who was leaning against a wall. When not fighting, the experiments were kept in a small bio-dome with an open top with four small houses for them and lots of grass. The bio-dome was made of glass and lower then the observation area, allowing scientists a bird's eye view of the experiments. The experiments frequently sparred, having nothing better to do. Angeal shook his head.

"That's no way to live. Everything is artificial, fake. When do you think the last time most of them felt the sun was?" Angeal asked his superior, who shook his head.

"The others don't concern me. I assume you saw the footage?"

"She's a monster. Do you really think she can be saved?" Angeal turned to look at Sephiroth, who shook his head.

"I do not know. But if not for us, she wouldn't be here. We owe her this."

"Seph, her death was not your fault. Nor was it Genesis' fault, nor mine. She chose to join SOLDIER, she knew the risks." Angeal reminded him gently.

"You didn't see her face. She-"

"Where is Hojo? I want to speak with him." A voice said and the SOLDIERs turned to see Rufus ShinRa in his immaculate white suit with his Guard Hound next to him. Hojo seemed to come out of nowhere, his back to the biodome.

"I thought your Turks were being sent?" Hojo sneered.

"I figured I'd skip the step of you saying no and just come myself," Rufus retorted, Dark Nation growling next to him.

"Well, the answer remains the same." Hojo snapped back, and Sephiroth saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned just as an experiment, a woman with long white hair, started scaling the glass.

"Mr. Hojo!" A scientist gasped and Hojo spun around just as the woman vaulted of the edge, landing between Hojo and Rufus. Hojo smirked and turned back to Rufus.

"Ah. You see? They respond well to my emotions. A threat directed at me, my feelings of alarm. They rear up and defend me, as they should." Hojo said smoothly, hands clasped behind his back. Rufus regared the experiment cooly and then turned his attention to Hojo.

"She will attack?" Rufus asked as Sephiroth and Angeal moved to place themselves in front of Rufus.

"Perhaps." Hojo answered, watching his experiment.

"Sir!" Another scientist exclaimed. This time, Sherri was the one scaling the wall, though somewhat slower then the other experiment had. Sherri launched herself into the air and then slammed into the white-haired woman and they tumbled across the grate. The two struggled and one of them cried out as a crack resounded through the area. Angeal moved to brake them up but stopped at a slight shake of Sephiroth's head. Angeal kept his place besides Rufus, who was watching in silence.

Blood sprayed upward, catching Angeal's cheek and narrowly missing Rufus. Hojo's face was covered in blood, as well as his left arm and leg. Sherri pulled away, holding her neck. The woman, part of her face torn off. Sherri had a ragged bite mark on her throat that was bleeding profusely. The girl jumped to her feet, hand shaking and pressed to the wound. That, Angeal guessed, was what had caused the blood spray. The woman's lips and chin were coated in blood and she licked her lips happily. Hojo smileld as Sherri wavered slightly, dizzy from blood loss. Angeal glanced at Sephiroth and this time the man nodded.

"She's coming with us to the infirmary," Sephiroth said. Sherri spun around and stared at him, still unsteady as blood covered her black uniform. Angeal stepped forward, a hand extended towards Sherri. She stared at it and slowly took it, falling against the First Class.

"We have a doctor here just for them, she won't be leaving." Hojo said firmly. Rufus chuckled.

"I came down here to avoid this fuss. Next, I will get my father involved. These people are supposed to be adjusted for warfare, not brutality like this. As of right now, b order of Rufus Shinra, Vice President of ShinRa Power and Electric Company, Sherri is now one of ShinRa's employees, not an experiment. If that will be a problem," Rufus concluded with finality, "you will address it with my father."

"Ru...fus..." Sherri whispered and pulled herself from Angeal's grasp, stumbling forward to place herself in front of the man in white. "Boom..." she whispered and Angeal frowned at Sephiroth.

Sephiroth glanced around and then hissed, _"No!"_

XxX

None of them had seen the figure with a rifle. Erik Vulfe stood hidden on the opposite side of the observation platofrm, hidden among boxes and crates used for who knew what. He aimed the gun for the blonde hair and closed his eyes.

"This is for you, Sherr..."

And pulled the trigger just as something electric crashed down onto his spine.

**Again, this chapter sucks and I'm sorry. I have the whole plot mapped out but I think I'm losing my fuel for this story. :( So I may drop it, we shall see. If you guys like it though, I'll keep going, it may be just my insecurites. I also apologize for any OOC-ness!**

**Anyway, please review and tell me what you think? Complaints or compliments, I don't care.**


End file.
